Double-coated electrode for dual-chemistry cathode system

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure include a double-coated electrode for dual-chemistry cathode systems and methods of manufacturing the same. An exemplary vehicle includes an electric motor and a battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor. The battery pack includes a battery cell that includes an anode current collector, an anode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the anode current collector, a cathode current collector, and a cathode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the cathode current collector. The cathode active material layer includes a dual-chemistry electrode having a first cathode layer in direct contact with the cathode current collector and a second cathode layer positioned directly on the first cathode layer. The first cathode layer and the second cathode layer are made of materials having at least one of a different particle size distribution and a different chemical makeup.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vehicle comprising:
 an electric motor; and   a battery pack electrically coupled to the electric motor, the battery pack comprising a battery cell, the battery cell comprising:   an anode current collector;   an anode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the anode current collector;   a cathode current collector; and   a cathode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the cathode current collector, the cathode active material layer comprising a dual-chemistry electrode having a first cathode layer in direct contact with the cathode current collector and a second cathode layer positioned directly on the first cathode layer;   wherein the first cathode layer and the second cathode layer comprise at least one of a different particle size distribution and a different chemical makeup.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a material having a first particle size distribution and the second cathode layer comprises a material having a second particle size distribution different than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein the second particle size distribution is smaller than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a bi-modal particle size distribution with a first set of particles having a diameter ranging between 0.1 and 7.0 microns with a D50 value of between 1.0 and 5.0 microns and a second set of particles having a diameter ranging between 5.0 and 30.0 microns with a D50 value of between 5.0 and 15.0 microns; and
 wherein the second cathode layer comprises a single-modal particle size distribution with particles having a diameter ranging between 0.01 and 200.0 microns with a D50 value of between 0.05 and 100.0 microns.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of a layered oxide structure, a spinel oxide structure, a two-phase structure, and a non-olivine type structure and the second cathode layer comprises an olivine structure. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of nickel cobalt manganese aluminum oxide (NCMA), nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO), lithium manganese rich (LMR) and the second cathode layer comprises at least one of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP). 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises NMC and the second cathode layer comprises LFP. 
     
     
         8 . A battery cell comprising:
 an anode current collector;   an anode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the anode current collector;   a cathode current collector; and   a cathode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the cathode current collector, the cathode active material layer comprising a dual-chemistry electrode having a first cathode layer in direct contact with the cathode current collector and a second cathode layer positioned directly on the first cathode layer;   wherein the first cathode layer and the second cathode layer comprise at least one of a different particle size distribution and a different chemical makeup.   
     
     
         9 . The battery cell of  claim 8 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a material having a first particle size distribution and the second cathode layer comprises a material having a second particle size distribution different than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         10 . The battery cell of  claim 9 , wherein the second particle size distribution is smaller than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         11 . The battery cell of  claim 8 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a bi-modal particle size distribution with a first set of particles having a diameter ranging between 0.1 and 7.0 microns with a D50 value of between 1.0 and 5.0 microns and a second set of particles having a diameter ranging between 5.0 and 30.0 microns with a D50 value of between 5.0 and 15.0 microns; and
 wherein the second cathode layer comprises a single-modal particle size distribution with particles having a diameter ranging between 0.01 and 200.0 microns with a D50 value of between 0.05 and 100.0 microns.   
     
     
         12 . The battery cell of  claim 8 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of a layered oxide structure, a spinel oxide structure, a two-phase structure, and a non-olivine type structure and the second cathode layer comprises an olivine structure. 
     
     
         13 . The battery cell of  claim 12 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of nickel cobalt manganese aluminum oxide (NCMA), nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO), lithium manganese rich (LMR) and the second cathode layer comprises at least one of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP). 
     
     
         14 . The battery cell of  claim 13 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises NMC and the second cathode layer comprises LFP. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 providing an anode current collector;   forming an anode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the anode current collector;   providing a cathode current collector; and   forming a cathode active material layer in direct contact with a surface of the cathode current collector, the cathode active material layer comprising a dual-chemistry electrode having a first cathode layer in direct contact with the cathode current collector and a second cathode layer positioned directly on the first cathode layer;   wherein the first cathode layer and the second cathode layer comprise at least one of a different particle size distribution and a different chemical makeup.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a material having a first particle size distribution and the second cathode layer comprises a material having a second particle size distribution different than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second particle size distribution is smaller than the first particle size distribution. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises a bi-modal particle size distribution with a first set of particles having a diameter ranging between 0.1 and 7.0 microns with a D50 value of between 1.0 and 5.0 microns and a second set of particles having a diameter ranging between 5.0 and 30.0 microns with a D50 value of between 5.0 and 15.0 microns; and
 wherein the second cathode layer comprises a single-modal particle size distribution with particles having a diameter ranging between 0.01 and 200.0 microns with a D50 value of between 0.05 and 100.0 microns.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of a layered oxide structure, a spinel oxide structure, a two-phase structure, and a non-olivine type structure and the second cathode layer comprises an olivine structure. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first cathode layer comprises at least one of nickel cobalt manganese aluminum oxide (NCMA), nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC), nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA), lithium manganese oxide (LMO), lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNMO), lithium manganese rich (LMR) and the second cathode layer comprises at least one of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP).